The official website of the Ministry of Antimonopoly Regulation and Trade of the Republic of Belarus posted the material (date of placement 28.10.2020) on the procedure for selling by individuals, carrying out craft activities (artisans) goods made by them.

Link to material https://mart.gov.by/sites/mart/home/faq/quest-answ/–1.html

Question: A craftsman sells goods of his own production to consumers through advertising on the Internet. What information about the product he should bring to the attention of consumers on the Internet? Does a craftsman need to register an online store and is he entitled to sell his own products on the Internet?

Answer: The procedure for sale by individuals, carrying out craft activities (artisans) изготовленных ими товаров определен абзацем вторым подпункта 1.5 paragraph 1 Decree of the President of the Republic of Belarus from 9 October 2017 g. № 364 "On the implementation of craft activities by individuals".

In this way, with 12 january 2018 of the year (с момента вступления в силу Указа № 364) ремесленники вправе реализовывать изготовленные ими товары:

– at retail outlets in markets, fairs and (or) in other places established by local executive and administrative bodies;

– in the premises, used to make these goods;

– by mailing (including international);

– by delivery to the address specified by the consumer by any type of transport;

– on the basis of civil law contracts, concluded with legal entities and individual entrepreneurs;

– using advertising on the global computer network Internet (ie. place advertisements on the Internet (including in social networks), through which it is possible to sell the goods they make).

At the same time, during the production and placement (dissemination) advertising (including online advertising), through which the sale of manufactured goods will be carried out, artisans should take into account the requirements of the Law of the Republic of Belarus dated 9 january 2002 g. № 90-3 “On the Protection of Consumer Rights” and the Law of the Republic of Belarus dated 10 May 2007 g. N 225-3 "About advertising".

The law on advertising does not contain restrictions on the place and time of placement (spreading) advertising craft activities. It means, what the artisan has the right to place (distribute) advertising in the media (on TV, radio, in print media (newspapers, magazines), on outdoor advertising, on the Internet and in other, places not prohibited by the Law on Advertising.

At the same time, during the production and placement (dissemination) advertising, through which the sale of manufactured goods will be carried out, artisans should take into account the requirements of the Advertising Act and the Consumer Protection Act.

By virtue of the article 1 Craftsman Consumer Protection Act, selling the goods they make, are sellers.

In accordance with paragraphs 8, 9 articles 7, points 1, 3 articles 8 Law on the protection of consumer rights when selling goods through advertising (including online advertising) the seller is obliged in this advertisement to bring to the attention of consumers information about:

– their surnames, own name, patronymic;

– product name;

– product price;

– about the conditions of storage of goods, use of goods, if they differ from the usual conditions of storage of goods, use of goods or require special storage conditions, use;

– delivery time;

– price and terms of payment for delivery of goods.

According to the article 1 Law of the Republic of Belarus from 8 january 2014 g. № 128-3 “On state regulation of trade and public catering in the Republic of Belarus”:

– online store – information resource of the subject of trade in the global computer network Internet, allowing to place an order for the purchase or selection and purchase of goods without (outside) shopping facility (paragraph 8);

– trader – entity, individual entrepreneur, carrying out trade on the territory of the Republic of Belarus (paragraph 31).

Given the above definitions, the artisan's website is not an online store and, Consequently, is not subject to registration in the Trade Register of the Republic of Belarus.